Jersey officials visit Guernsey bathing pools

La Vallette bathing pools in Guernsey were refurbished in 2022

Some of the supporters of the Havre des Pas bathing pool in Jersey have visited the Guernsey equivalent to get inspiration for its improvement.

Four supporters, including St Helier South Deputy David Warr, visited La Vallette bathing pools in Guernsey - where the facilities were refurbished in 2022.

A charitable trust with funding from the States of Guernsey was founded to carry out the development, with La Valette winning an architectural after it reopened.

Mr Warr said he hoped a similar partnership could be formed to run the pool in Jersey.

'Extraordinary facility'

He said: "So I went to Guernsey really to research what they've done with their La Vallette public pool because they've got a pool that was built in the same era this one [Havre des Pas] was.

"Certainly the energy is here to do something, and I think people would want to see something like this, which is an extraordinary facility, brought back to life again."

In July, it was announced out of a total of £553,051 spent on the government-owned café sites over the past three-and-a-half years, the Havre des Pas in St Helier had £356,000 spent on its maintenance.

In June, Constable Andy Jehan, Minister for Infrastructure, told the States Assembly the 135-year-old pool was "a liability" and that he would like it "taken off my hands".

David Warr second from left

Mr Warr said there were particular areas of improvement that could be addressed at the Havre des Pas site such as creating a bike parking facility and updating the changing rooms.

He added: "La Vallette have got a very well kept facility, they've really thought it through and worked together with the community and delivered something which is really spectacular.

"Once they turned the curve in terms of that investment and getting things going they've managed then to attract more and more people so it's multi-generational.

"I believe if you have that kind of vision, that's the same vision we could have here in Jersey."